Renu Suresh

Expert

Published on: Sep 17, 2026

Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment of the Government of India launched the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana in 2017 to support senior citizens with age-related disabilities. Under this scheme, senior citizens from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category receive physical aids and assisted-living devices to improve their quality of life. In this article, we provide an in-depth overview of the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana.

Objectives of Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

According to the 2011 census, India has a senior citizen population of 10.38 crore, with over 70% residing in rural areas. Approximately 52% of these individuals suffer from age-related disabilities. This Central scheme aims to provide these senior citizens with essential assisted-living devices and physical aids to facilitate their daily living.

Duration

The proposal for the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana was announced in the 2015-2016 financial year budget, specifying that the scheme would span three years from 2017 to 2020. The scheme's implementation is managed by agencies such as the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO) and PSUs under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Department.

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Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana benefits, the following eligibility criteria must be met:

  • Senior citizens must be aged 60 years or older.
  • Applicants must be BPL cardholders.

Disability or Infirmity

Senior citizens with the following disabilities or infirmities are eligible to receive assisted-living devices that help restore normal bodily functions:

  • Low vision
  • Hearing impairment
  • Loss of teeth
  • Locomotor disability

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Aids and Assisted-Living Devices

Eligible beneficiaries under the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana receive various aids and assisted-living devices tailored to their specific needs, including:

  • Walking sticks
  • Elbow crutches
  • Walkers / Crutches
  • Tripods / Quad pods
  • Hearing aids
  • Artificial dentures
  • Spectacles

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Beneficiary Selection

Beneficiaries are identified in each district by State Governments or Union Territories through a Committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner or District Collector. The selection ensures that 30% of the beneficiaries in each district are women.

State Government, UT Administration, or District Level Committees collect data on BPL beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension under the NSAP or other schemes.

Distribution of Devices

Assisted-living devices and aids are distributed for free to eligible senior citizens through camp mode. In cases of multiple disabilities, customized assistive devices will be provided for each disability.

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Districts Covered under Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana

The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana covers numerous states and UTs across India. Below is a list of select districts implementing the scheme:

S. NO.State / UTDISTRICT
1.Andaman and Nicobar IslandsSouth Andaman, Middle & North Andaman
2.Andhra PradeshVisakhapatnam
Nellore
3.Arunachal PradeshWest Kameng
Pasighat
4.AssamKamrup
Sonitpur
5.BiharBuxar
West Champaran
6.ChandigarhChandigarh
7.ChhattisgarhRaipur
Bastar
8.Dadra and Nagar HaveliDadra and Nagar Haveli
9.Daman and DiuDaman and Diu
10.GoaNorth Goa
South Goa
11.GujaratVadodara
Ahmedabad
12.HaryanaKarnal
Ambala
13.Himachal PradeshShimla
Hamirpur
14.Jammu and KashmirSrinagar
Udhampur
15.JharkhandGumla
Ranchi
16.KarnatakaSouth Bangalore
Dharwad
17.KeralaKochi
Thiruvananthapuram
18.Madhya PradeshKhandwa
Ujjain
19.MaharashtraNagpur
Dhule
20.DelhiKarol Bagh
Chandni Chowk
21.OdishaSundargarh
Angul
22.PunjabGurdaspur
Hoshiarpur
23.RajasthanJhalawar
Bikaner
24.Tamil NaduKanyakumari
South Chennai
25.TelanganaHyderabad
Karimnagar
26.Uttar PradeshLucknow
Varanasi
27.UttarakhandHaridwar
Almora
28.West BengalAsansol
Darjeeling
29.ManipurImphal (West), Imphal (East)
30.MeghalayaEast Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi
31.MizoramAizawl, Champhai
32.NagalandDimapur, Kohima
33.TripuraUnokoti, Dhalai
34.LakshadweepLakshadweep
35.PuducherryOlukara, Karaikal
36.SikkimEast Sikkim, South Sikkim

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana Senior Citizen Aid India.

The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana is a Central Government scheme launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It aims to provide assisted-living devices and physical aids free of cost to senior citizens belonging to the BPL category who suffer from age-related disabilities or infirmities.
To be eligible for the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana, a senior citizen must be 60 years or older, hold a BPL (Below Poverty Line) card, and suffer from disabilities or infirmities such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth, or locomotor disabilities.
Depending on the type of disability or infirmity, the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana provides various aids and assisted-living devices, including walking sticks, elbow crutches, walkers, tripods, quad pods, hearing aids, artificial dentures, and spectacles.
Beneficiaries are identified by a committee chaired by the Deputy Commissioner or District Collector in each district. The committee collects data on BPL senior citizens receiving old age pension under government schemes. Additionally, 30% of the beneficiaries in each district must be women.
The aids and assisted-living devices are distributed free of cost to eligible senior citizens through camps organized in various districts across India. If a senior citizen has multiple disabilities or infirmities, they will receive assistive devices for each condition.
The scheme covers almost all states and Union Territories in India, including major cities. The article provides a list of districts where the scheme has been implemented, covering 36 states and Union Territories.
The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana was initially proposed in the 2015-2016 financial year budget and has a duration of 3 years, from 2017 to 2020.
The scheme is implemented through the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO) and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The primary objective of the Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana is to provide assisted living devices and physical aids to senior citizens suffering from infirmities or disabilities, helping them overcome their disabilities and restore near normalcy in their bodily functions.
The Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana was introduced by the Government of India to address the needs of the growing senior citizen population in the country, particularly those living in rural areas and suffering from age-related disabilities. According to the 2011 Census, more than 70% of senior citizens in India live in rural areas, and 52% suffer from old age-related disabilities.